Is there a law...

[Take 'em]

What do y'all do while bow hunting if you shoot a deer and while blood trailing it, walk up on it to see it only injured and possibly not a hastily fatal shot(gut shot, grazed yet hurt bad enough to lay up until walked up on, or broke down some legs)? Or any other scenario where the deer gets up runs 20-30 yards then lays up after being shot? Is it legal to carry a pistol or a firearm to finish the deer off? Granted this is after an afternoon hunt in the dark so finishing with a bow isn't always possible if woods are thick. I know some will say back out and come back in the morning but what if it's a doe and warm that night? Not wanting meat to spoil. The ethical thing in my opinion would be to finish it off it you honestly believe the deer would suffer until yotes got it. Have had it happen where a gut shot occurred and could get within 5 yards of a doe for it to only get up go another 20 and lay up. Is there a law regarding this? Just came to mind with how season around the corner

[Dux Be Us]

Is it legal to carry a pistol or a firearm to finish the deer off?

No

[turkeyman]

IMO. That's the humane thing to do.

[Dutch Dog]

From a lawmakers standpoint, I'd think they wouldn't allow it based on the fact that you could shoot it with the gun, then go find it and gut shoot it with the bow. Unless the game warden saw the events unfold, he couldn't tell with which weapon the animal was shot with first.

[teul2]

I know a guy that got a ticket 2 years ago for that exact scenario.

[gps4]

I know a guy that got a ticket 2 years ago for that exact scenario.

cockamamey... every time i talk to a LEO about why someone who should have gotten a ticket didn't, i always get the standard..."it's in the officer's discretion"

whenever something doesnt fit, its always "in the officer's judgment and discretion."

[huntsober]

Turkeyman is right. I dont carry while bowhunting but if I want to I will. I would shoot the deer if it was injured. Its just the right thing to do.

[Northbigmuddy]

Another one of those easy to understand issues which is F'ed up because outlaw style hunters. Why even make laws seeing as the folks abiding by the law don't need the law and those that the law is intended for are not going to follow it anyway.

[ACEINTHEHOLE]

I carry while bowhuntin just because we have so many hogs and it creeps me out to not have a gun. I would also pay a ticket to put a deer down with a gun if it were suffering.

[mshunter77]

Definetly not legal. I know many people that carry sidearms during bow season for hogs, I know that is not legal either but can't really blame them.

[camlock]

i carry mine for ninjas

[duckkiller]

I carry mine for Zombies

[camlock]

I carry mine for Zombies

another good point

[Take 'em]

That's what I was thinking. I can see where it would be questionable on it being shot with bow first for GW. Never researched it enough to know if there was a law regarding it. I'm with most of y'all tho, I would have to finish the deer off if I truly thought the deer would suffer and sort out the ticket situation later if it occurred

[tombstone]

got a crackhead on my camera a couple of weeks ago. Will be carrying. Plain and simple. Write the ticket if you need to.

Just remember I passed the background check and I ain't the criminal.